by Joan Jonker
Oh, Steve, Jill thought, don’t sell yourself short. You don’t speak posh, don’t have fancy clothes or a big shiny car, but you have far more to offer than Miles will ever have. You have strength and compassion, humour and a capacity for loving that he’ll never know because of the way he’s been brought up. I feel sorry for him, really, because he’s missing so much in life. Daft things, I suppose, like sharing a bag of chips on the way home from the pictures, or running hand in hand for the tram.
She nestled her head on Steve’s shoulder. There was only one man for her, always had been. And as her mam would say, he was right in her own backyard. ‘I was your girlfriend, Steve,’ she said softly, ‘you should have trusted me. I never wanted anyone else.’
‘I love you, Jill.’ He kissed her cheek. ‘Always have, always will.’
‘And I love you, Steve McDonough.’
‘Come on, let’s get out of here.’ Steve led her off the floor. ‘There’s so much I want to say an’ I want to be on me own with you.’
‘But what about the others? They’ll wonder where we’ve gone.’
‘No, they won’t.’ Steve grinned down at her. ‘Your Doreen will know what’s happened. She’s the one that planned this. Got us both here without tellin’ either of us the other one was coming.’ He pulled her towards the cloakroom. ‘She’s crafty, is your Doreen, but if yer still goin’ to marry me, I’ll be glad to ’ave her for a sister-in-law.’
Molly heard the knocking on the door and looked at the clock. ‘Who the heck’s callin’ at this time of night? It’s turned ten o’clock!’
‘I’ll go.’ Jack started to get up. ‘It’s probably someone wanting change for the gas meter.’
‘No, stay where yer are,’ Molly pushed him down, ‘I’ll go.’
When Molly opened the door and saw the young couple standing there, her mouth gaped. They had their arms around each other, and as she was to tell Jack later, she’d never seen two happier faces in her life.
‘Hello, Mrs B,’ Steve said. ‘Am I welcome?’
‘Oh, son, yer more than welcome.’ Molly laughed with happiness as she held the door wide. She couldn’t believe it! Without warning, a picture of Doreen flashed through her mind. I bet that one’s had a hand in this, she thought. And God bless her if she has, ’cos it’s just what I needed to fill my cup of happiness to the brim.
Molly hugged Steve first, then her daughter, smothering their faces in kisses. ‘Go on in, I’m dyin’ to see Jack’s face when he sees yer.’ She pushed them down the hall, closed the front door, waited until she heard Jack’s shout of pleasure, then raised her eyes to the ceiling. ‘Thank You, God, for answering me prayers. I’ll be back to You again tomorrow over me da, but just for now, thank You for this day.’
